Lawn mower



March 27, 1928. 1,663,900

W. F. H. BRAUN LAWN MOWER Filed Dec. 24. 1926 3 Sheets- Sheet 1 March 27, 1928. 1,663,900

w. F. H. BRAUN LAWN MOWER Filed Dec. 24. 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 3 /6 m mwral? Inn Ass.- G-

W1. hm Award I W a 2, Wk.

Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED s AT s PATENT oFF-IcE.

WILLIAM F. n. 'BRAUN, or WYNNEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T rENNsYL VANIA. LAWN'MOWER WORKS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA:

TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

I VLAWN nowna.

Application filed December 24, 1926, 1 Serial No. 156,829.

The present invention relates to lawn mowers and more particularly to so-called gang lawn mowers in which a number of mower units are interconnected by means of 5 a frame orequivalent device. f I M In order to facilitate the entrance and exit of gang lawn mowers into student. of barns or other housing structures it is customary to pivotally support the end sections and-to raise them forentrance and exit and to lower them for use. p

The principal objects of the present invention are to facilitate the operation of housing such lawn mowers and of arranging l5. them for use; to improve the means for raising and loweringthe free ends ofthe pivotal sections of lawn mowers; and to lower the free end of the pivotal section of' the lawn mower, which is comparatively heavy, easily and gently without shocks orjars and with little or no exertion on the part of theoperator..

Otherobjects of the invention will appear from the following description andthe invention, generally stated, vmay be said to comprise means for raising and lowering the free end of a pivotal section of a lawn mower which include a winding fdrum having a. threaded hub, connections between the pivotal section and drum whereby :the former exerts unidirectional torque on the latter, a ratchet wheel ing direction. only and arranged for facial contact with the drum, and a nut on the hub adapted when turned in winding direction to clamp. the drum onto the Wheel against said torque, and when turned in the other direction to backoli' and permit the drum to. turn inunwinding direction under 40 said torque and to screw into the nut and clamp itself to the ratchet wheel. v p I The invention also comprises the improvements to be presently described and finally claimedq p In the following description reference'will [be made tothe accompanying drawings formingparthereof and in which: 1 I,

Figurelis a top or plan view of a gang free to turn in wind lawn mower embodying features vof the invention. v n Y Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the same illustrating different positions of the ends of the. pivotal sections.

Fig. 31s a perspective view illustrating upon an enlarged scale 'means'for raising and lowering the pivotal sections. 7

Flg. 4 1s atop or plan View partly in section illustrat ng the meansshown, in Fig. 3

to an, enlarged scale. t

Figs 5 and' 6 are respectively 'top and side views partly 1n section drawn to an enlarged scale and illustrating [features shown at th e top in Fig. .1, and

Fig. 7 1s a perspective viewof one of the parts shown in Figsi 5 and ,6. i

are raised and'lowered, the description will be'gi-ven'inthe singulan' The section l of thelawn mower is pivotally mounted as at 2,

"In the drawings a section at ea ch'sidenofthe lawn mower is pivotally T'mou'nted and since the sections are duplicates as are also "themeans by which the ends of theisections pivot 2 is provided with a foot or knuckle- 3 for limiting the range of turning movement of the section l. Thesection 1 is'provided with a bail {l of generally triangular shape so that it 'can fold down upon one of the bars 5 of thefraine'. There is a. lifting arm "6 pivotally connected with the member 3 and which projectsthrough the bail, and when this arm 6 is turned counterclockwise in Fig. 3, it; works through the bail and lifts the section 1,"and when the lifting arm 6 isfturned clockwise in Fig. 3, it rests upon the bar 5,"as does also the bail 4. The parts are'shown in the last described position in Fig. 1. 8 is a revoluble winding drum having a'threadedjhub'Q, Fig.4, and-it is shown as mounted on a shaft 10. There are connections which the weight of the section -1 exerts unidirectional torque on the drum in unwinding direction. As shown these connections comprise a cable 11 0011- M nected with the end of the lifting arm 6 at one side of the machine and with the winding drum at the opposite side of the mawheel 12 is arranged for facial contact with the drum and as shown friction materiall is interposed between them, 15 is-aynuton the hub, and it is adapted when turned in winding direction to clamp the drum 8 onto the wheel 12 against the torque on the dr'uin" and when turned in the otherdirection to back oflf'and permit the drum to turn-in unwinding direction under the torque and to v screw into the nut and clamp itself to the ratchet wheelthus checking its further motion. For hacking into and out er .a barn or otherwise .use may be made of keepers 16 slidably mounted on the tongues 17 of the trailing mower units, and these keepers are provided with "crosswise ranging notches that when in engagement with the eyes of the swivel 18, Fi 5, renderthe latter ineflective. hen the keeper '16 is in the position shown in Fig. 6, the swivel is free. 7

The mode of'operation may be described follows: I V To lift the free end of the lefthand section 1 ina Wrench 19 is applied to the nut 15, Fig. 3, and turned clockwise against the torque on the winding drum 8, so that the nut screws onto the hub and binds the ratchet wheel 12 an'd drum together so that they turn clockwise winding on the cable 11 which appertains to the leit'than'd section, thus the lifting arm at the l'etthand side in Fig. '1 is liftedrais'ihg the section 1 at that side. The pawl 13 permits rotation of the ratchet'wheel 12 thedirection indicated.

T0 lower the section 1 att'he left in Fig. 2,

the wrench 1-9 is turned in counterclockwise direction with the result that the nut I is backed off a little releasing-the pressure between the wheel 12, 'now held stationary by the pawl 13, and the drum 8, which under the pull; or torque. of the cable, turns counterclocl zwise, lowering the section; 1 at'the leit but in th'ustu'rning the drum screws its hub into the nut again establishing braking press'u'rfe'between the wheel 12 and the drum 14, so that the latter turns slowly" and lowers the section lgently and under the control f the wrench 19, upon-which little o'r no exertion need be expended.v p 9 It may beremarked that 20 is 'a frameor bracket by which the pawl 13 is suspended and itinay-he provided with alip 21 which providesa housingfor thenut.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the a rtto which the invention relates that modiendof the pivotal section whi I a revoluble' drum having a threaded :11

tion and arrangement and in matters of mere form without departing from the,

spirit of the invention which is not limited to such matters or otherwise than the prior art and the appended claims may require.

I claim: V

1. In a gang mower having a pivotal section, means for raising and lowering the free end of the pivotal section which comprise a-revoluble drum having a threaded hub and mounted on the; mower, connections-between the section and drum'whereby the former exerts unidirectional torque-on the latter in unwinding direction, a ratchet wheel mounted on the mower and free to turn in winding direction only, and a nut on the hub adapted when turned in. winding direction to clamp the drum onto the wheel against-the torque on the driimarr'd whentllrned in "an winding direction a) back 011 and "permit the drum to turn in unwindingdirecti-on under the torquefandlto screw into as net ahd clamp the ratchet wheel with a braking action. f '1 V 2. In a gang mowerhaving a pivotalsecnon, means for raisihg'and lowering the free end of the pivotal section whicheomp'rise a on the mower and free to turn in winding direction only, 'an d a nut on the hub adapted when turned in winding 'directiongtdclarnp the drum onto thewneel against'ithe torque on the drum and whenturned in unwinding direction under the torque and the screi'v into the nut and clamp the ratchet wheel with a b'raking action. I Q s 3. In a gang mower h vinga pivotal section, means for raising andflo'v'vering the free end of the piyotal' section whichlcomprise a "revoluhl'e drum having a threaded hub and mounted on the mower, a pivotal bail on the free end ofthe section, a pivoted arm arranged through said bail, a cable from the arm to th'ejdrum and adapted to eirert torque on the latter in unwinding ydirecti'on'-, a "ratchet wheel mounted on the mowfer and freefto turn in winding direction only, and T tion, means for raising and lowe'ringj the free ahil -mounted on the mower; a pivotal lifting arm adapted to lift the free end of the section, it limit stop for the turning movement of the section, a cable from the arm to the drum and adapted to exert torque on the latter in unwinding direction, a ratchet wheel concentric with the drum and free to turn in winding direction only, and a nut on the hub adapted when turned in winding direction to clamp the drum onto the wheel against the torque on the drum and when turned in unwinding direction to back off and permit the drum to turn in unwinding direction under the torque and to screw into the nut and clamp the ratchet Wheel witha, braking action.

' WILLIAM F. H. BRAUN. 

